| January 13, 2006 Editor’s Desk by Aaron Selbig, insurgent49 
It’s been a star-studded week here at Insurgent Headquarters.It’s too bad we don’t have more celebrities living in Alaska. Other than Scotty Gomez and maybe Jewel (neither of whom actually live here), I can’t think of any. Oh yeah ... future NBA hall-of-famer Karl Malone owns property on the Kenai and, in certain circles, 36 Crazyfists might count. But that’s about it. Just think ... if we had at least one A-list celebrity living here in the frozen 49th, we could have the beautiful opportunity of electing him or her Governor. Instead, we’re stuck with the decidedly un-glamorous Frank Murkowski. But this column isn’t about Frank. It’s about Arnold. So, Arnold is tooling around LA last week on his Harley-Davidson (did you think the Terminator would ride a Honda?), with his twelve year-old son tagging along in a sidecar. The two Schwarzeneggers are enjoying a little father-son time in the SoCal sunshine, when, all of a sudden, they had a little problem. A car backing out of a driveway crossed their path and, next thing you know, they’re in the hospital. The son is OK, but the Governator had to have fifteen stitches in his lip. Bummer. On the surface, this is a non-story and, when I first heard about it, I found it only mildly amusing. But then, an even funnier thing happened: the next day, Governor Schwarzenegger admitted that he didn’t have a motorcycle operator’s license. In fact, he added, he has never held a California motorcycle license. Okay, my interest is piqued but still ... big deal. It’s stupid of him to be riding without the proper license but c’mon ... it’s not exactly a capital crime (unless his motorcycle was given to him by Jack Abramoff, and that’s just pure unsubstantiated rumor). But then, the city attorney’s office in LA announces that Governor Schwarzenegger will NOT be charged with wrongdoing. No ticket, no fine ... nothing. Say WHAT?! Their excuse is that California law is unclear on whether having a sidecar still qualifies a motorcycle as a motorcycle. Ummm ... Bullshit. Motorcycle laws are there for a reason, as any regular rider would tell you. Sidecar or not, operating a motorcycle requires a special understanding and keen awareness of the traffic around you. What the LA city attorney meant, I think, was that California law is unclear on whether not having a valid motorcycle license is illegal for Governor Schwarzenegger. Seriously, what if this had been you or me? Do you think that the average Californian citizen would get a free pass for riding without a license after getting in a wreck? What if, say, Rodney King had been caught doing the same thing? That’s right ... boom ... ticket, fine, hellacious beating and 5 to 15 in the slam. Probably. So, as if us poor ol’ regular folk needed to be reminded again, our elected politicians are above the law. This case may seem (well OK ... it IS) more frivolous than the devastating and far-reaching Abramoff scandal but, in a way, it serves as an even clearer illustration of the holy power of public office. Once the dumb schmucks elect you as their public servant (lol), it’s your right to bilk them for all they’re worth, making damn sure your buddies get their share of taxpayer dollars. Oh yeah ... and traffic laws no longer apply to you, either. In a casual conversation today about HarleyGate, a friend asked me if I would hold Arnold to the same high standard if he were a Democrat. Well ... yes. However, it’s important to point out that, if Arnold were Alaska’s Governor, he would be a Democrat. But here in celebrity-free Alaska, we’ve got Frank Murkowski, who seems to have his own challenges regarding the concept of selfless public service. But on the plus side, at least he doesn’t go around riding a motorcycle without a license. He doesn’t need to ... He’s got a jet. Regards, Aaron Selbig Editor, Insurgent Media AK |
-
Columnists -
- column archive -
January 6, 2006 December 30, 2005 December 23, 2005 December 16, 2005 December 10, 2005 December 2, 2005 November 25, 2005 November 18, 2005 November 11, 2005 November 4, 2005 October 28, 2005 October 21, 2005 October 14, 2005 October 7, 2005 September 30, 2005 September 23, 2005 September 16, 2005 September 9, 2005 September 2, 2005 August 26, 2005 August 19, 2005 August 12, 2005 August 5, 2005 July 29, 2005 July 22, 2005 July 15, 2005 July 8, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 24, 2005 June 17, 2005 June 10, 2005 June 3, 2005 May 27, 2005 May 20, 2005 May 13, 2005 May 6, 2005 April 28, 2005 April 21, 2005 April 14, 2005 April 7, 2005 April 1, 2005 |
||||||
| Copyright 2005
Insurgent Media.
All rights reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
|||||||
